Impact of the invasive green alga Caulerpa racemosa var.cylindracea on the epiphytic macroalgal assemblage of Posidonia oceanica seagrass rhizomes in the Adriatic Sea

Antolić, Boris; Žuljević, Ante; Despalatović, Marija; Grubelić, Ivana; Cvitković, Ivan

doi:10.1127/0029-5035/2008/0086-0155

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…Significant reductions in species richness and cover of all morphological groups of rhizome epiphytes were observed in stands invaded by Caulerpa cylindracea (Antolić et al . ). The main turf‐forming introduced species are the Rhodophyta Acrothamnion preissii and Womersleyella setacea (Boudouresque & Verlaque ), which spread on all hard substrata from the surface to more than 70 m depth.…”

Section: Biological Invasionsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Epiphyte assemblages of the Mediterranean seagrassPosidonia oceanica: an overview

Piazzi

Balata²,

Ceccherelli

2015

Marine Ecology

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This paper reviews the main studies dealing with epiphytes of both leaves and rhizomes of Posidonia oceanica, the main seagrass found in the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 660 epiphyte species has been recorded, including 430 on leaves and 437 on rhizomes. Of these, 205 are Rhodophyta, and 19 Tunicata. The epiphyte assemblages demonstrate a gradient of dissimilarity from west to east, with the eastern area being the most unlike the others. The differences can be attributed mostly to rare species that differ amongst the Mediterranean regions. Many of the dominant taxa have been found in all meadows studied. Data concerning species composition, abundance, and patterns of spatial and temporal variability are summarized, and biotic and abiotic factors controlling the structure of assemblages are discussed. Responses of epiphyte assemblages to anthropogenic stressors, such as nutrient enrichment and biological invasions, are discussed in relation to the use of epiphytes as ecological indicators.Marine Ecology. ISSN 0173-9565

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Section: Biological Invasionsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Epiphyte assemblages of the Mediterranean seagrassPosidonia oceanica: an overview

Piazzi

Balata²,

Ceccherelli

2015

Marine Ecology

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The alga has rapidly colonized wide areas of the Mediterranean basin, forming permanent populations and interfering with the native assemblages (Piazzi et al 2001, 2005b, Piazzi & Balata 2008, Klein & Verlaque 2008. Marine ecosystems which are essential for biodiversity conservation, such as seagrass meadows and coralligenous habitat (sensu Ballesteros 2006), have been invaded by C. racemosa with consequent loss of the original structure of assemblages (Ceccherelli & Campo 2002, Piazzi et al 2007a, Antolić et al 2008.The interaction of Caulerpa racemosa with other kinds of human impact has been investigated in relation to the increase of sediment deposition, showing important synergetic effects (Piazzi et al 2005a(Piazzi et al , 2007b, but no data are available on the consequences of increased water nutrient load on C. racemosa invasion. However, several observations suggest that the spread of this invasive alga is related to different types of human pressures.…”

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confidence: 99%

Synergism between two anthropic impacts: Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea invasion and seawater nutrient enrichment

Gennaro¹,

Piazzi²

2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Although eutrophication and biological invasions are recognized as important elements of global change, few studies have assessed how their synergism can affect structural and functional traits of marine ecosystems. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of seawater nutrient enrichment on the spread of the introduced Chlorophyta Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea and the interactive effects of nutritional enrichment and C. racemosa invasion on the native macroalgal assemblages of a subtidal rocky bottom. To achieve these objectives, a manipulative field experiment was carried out at 24 m depth in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea by adding C. racemosa and supplying the water column with nutrients. The following treatments were applied: non-manipulated assemblages, nutrient enrichment, addition of C. racemosa, and both nutrient enrichment and addition of C. racemosa. Results showed that C. racemosa spread was enhanced by nutrient enrichment. Moreover, a significant interaction between nutritional increase and C. racemosa invasion was detected: the effects of C. racemosa invasion on native macroalgal assemblages were amplified by nutrient enrichment. Results suggested that synergism between effects of different anthropogenic impacts can have severe consequences on the integrity of marine ecosystems. KEY WORDS: Biological invasions · Nutrients · Rocky bottom · Macroalgal assemblages · Mediterranean Sea Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 427: 59-70, 2011 60 logical invasions has been examined mainly in terrestrial habitats (Burke & Grime 1996, Gross et al. 2005, Leishman & Thomson 2005; in contrast, only a few experimental studies have been carried out to investgate this phenomenon in marine ecosystems (but see Steen 2003, Sánchez & Fernández 2006, Incera et al. 2009). Eutrophication is a growing problem in the marine habitats of coastal waters all over the world (Nixon 1995, Livingston 2001, Howarth & Marino 2006 and is considered one of the main causes of deteriorating coastal water quality and loss of ecosystem complexity (Soltan et al. 2001, Arevalo et al. 2007). Biotic homogenization due to the proliferation of opportunistic species has been attributed mostly to high loading of nutrients derived from industrial and urban sewage effluents (Valiela et al. 1992, Morand & Briand 1996. Furthermore, nutrient enrichment can aid the spread of introduced macroalgae through different mechanisms (Stimson et al. 2001, Torres et al. 2004). Nutrient availability is usually an important factor in determining the species composition of seaweed assemblages (Teichberg et al. 2008). An increase in nutrients in natural systems is detrimental to slow-growing plants which are adapted to nutrient-poor habitats and creates favorable conditions for faster-growing plants, such as many invasive seaweeds. Moreover, the degradation of benthic systems caused by pollution can reduce the native assemblage's resistance to invasions (Stachowicz et al. 1999). Thu...

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“…Impact of C. cylindracea on native ecosystems was significant (Piazzi et al 2001b;Klein and Verlaque 2008;Piazzi and Balata 2008). Seagrass meadows and coralligenous reefs, which are among the most important coastal habitats in the Mediterranean Sea (UNEP-MAP-RAC/SPA 2008; Pergent et al 2012), showed a loss of the original structure of their assemblages when invaded by this NIS (Ceccherelli and Campo 2002;Piazzi et al 2007;Antolić et al 2008;Baldacconi and Corriero 2009). As many manipulative experiments showed deleterious effects on benthic assemblages following invasion by C. cylindracea, its spread at such a wide-spatial scale might have unprecedented impacts on composition and functioning of invaded ecosystems (Strayer 2012), especially considering the burying effects due to its rapid growth and its ability to form multilayered mats during the vegetative season (Piazzi and Cinelli 1999).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A tale of two invaders: divergent spreading kinetics of the alien green algae Caulerpa taxifolia and Caulerpa cylindracea

et al. 2015

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International audienceThe two alien green algae Caulerpa taxifolia and Caulerpa cylindracea (formerly Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea) are among the most notorious and threatening invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea. From the beginning of their introduction, C. taxifolia aroused a great concern due to its initial exponential spread and impacts on native ecosystems, whilst C. cylindracea received lower attention. In this paper, the distribution of the two aliens over the last 30 years in the Italian side of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea) is reviewed and the kinetics of their spreading is compared. We combined available data on habitat occupancy with data on substratum cover obtained during underwater surveys to compute the average annual spreading rates for both aliens. C. taxifolia had an impressive expansion phase from 1984 to 2000 but then, its dispersal rate showed lower than that predicted and the species did not persist in areas formerly colonized. Today, abundance of this species is strongly declined as it disappeared from most of the attained areas. On the contrary, C. cylindracea exhibited an impressive and constant expansion from the beginning of its first appearance in the Ligurian Sea and, today, it is still increasing its range and habitat occupancy. Its abundance results 1.5-times greater than that reached by C. taxifolia during the period of its maximum expansion. The divergent kinetics of spreading of the two aliens prevents any possibility of generalization of the future behaviour of invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea: continuous and periodic surveys are thus mandatory to understand the kinetics of expansion and to define species-specific models

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Impact of the invasive green alga Caulerpa racemosa var.cylindracea on the epiphytic macroalgal assemblage of Posidonia oceanica seagrass rhizomes in the Adriatic Sea

Cited by 17 publications

References 0 publications

Epiphyte assemblages of the Mediterranean seagrassPosidonia oceanica: an overview

Epiphyte assemblages of the Mediterranean seagrassPosidonia oceanica: an overview

Synergism between two anthropic impacts: Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea invasion and seawater nutrient enrichment

A tale of two invaders: divergent spreading kinetics of the alien green algae Caulerpa taxifolia and Caulerpa cylindracea

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